For the Chicago Bulls, the 2025 offseason is less about retooling and more about reckoning. They’ve spent the last few years clinging to a fading vision of contention. They have hoped that a mix of veteran savvy and young upside could somehow make them more than the sum of their parts. However, after another disappointing season and a Play-In Tournament exit that felt more inevitable than unfortunate, one thing is painfully clear. The Bulls are stuck. To move forward, they must start by making the tough choice to move on from Nikola Vucevic.
Another Step Sideways
The Bulls wrapped up the 2024–25 NBA regular season with a 39-43 record. That was good enough to sneak into the Play-In Tournament, but not good enough to matter. Their season ended with a thud: a 109-90 loss to the Miami Heat. To be fair, Chicago was never outright bad. However, they also never strung together the consistency, spacing, or late-game execution required to be taken seriously. The front office made minimal changes after trading away DeMar DeRozan the year prior. Instead, they hoped that continuity around Zach LaVine, Coby White, and Nikola Vucevic would yield results. It didn’t. Instead, it exposed just how stagnant the team has become and then they also traded away LaVine. The Bulls need a shakeup, starting with one of their most recognizable veterans.
Here we will discuss the one player whom the Chicago Bulls must trade as they enter the 2025 NBA offseason.
Why Nikola Vucevic Is the First Domino
If there is one thing abundantly clear after the Bulls' Play-In loss to the Heat, it's that they need to part ways with Vucevic. The 34-year-old big man has failed to deliver consistent value commensurate to his role and pay. Yes, Vooch still puts up the numbers. He did average 17.4 points and 10.7 rebounds this past season. That said, they are, more often than not, the emptiest double-doubles in the league.
Vucevic’s presence clogs the lane on offense, slows the pace, and does little to anchor the defense. His lack of rim protection and diminished mobility are glaring liabilities in today’s NBA. This is especially true for a team that ranks in the bottom third in defensive rating. On offense, he remains a skilled post scorer and capable floor-spacer. On the flip side, the Bulls often struggle to balance touches between him and their backcourt. This has led to stale, predictable sets.
The bigger issue is philosophical. Keeping Vucevic around signals an outdated vision for this team. Right now, they must build toward a modern identity. With his deal now expiring and the Bulls clearly going nowhere with this core, Vucevic represents an opportunity to move toward a younger, more versatile direction.
A Logical Trade Partner
Sure, rumors have connected Vucevic to several teams. However, one trade package that makes particular sense involves the Atlanta Hawks. Here’s a proposal worth serious consideration:
Bulls receive: Onyeka Okongwu, Georges Niang, Mouhamed Gueye
Hawks receive: Nikola Vucevic, 2026 second-round pick, 2027 second-round pick
This deal achieves several important objectives for the Bulls. First, it brings in Onyeka Okongwu, a 23-year-old with real two-way upside. Okongwu hasn’t broken out yet in Atlanta due to the presence of Clint Capela. That said, the former lottery pick is a switchable, high-energy big who fits the modern mold. He’d give Chicago a defensive presence they’ve long lacked. His pick-and-roll game can also flourish with more opportunity.
Georges Niang, meanwhile, adds a stretch forward to bolster spacing and depth, while Mouhamed Gueye provides intriguing developmental options. The Bulls aren’t likely to win this deal on name recognition, but they’d win it in direction and fit.
For Atlanta, the move provides an offensive upgrade at center. It also gives the Hawks some veteran stability for a team looking to turn the corner. Vucevic’s pick-and-pop game would pair nicely with Trae Young. Add in two second-rounders, and it’s a deal that benefits both sides in the short term.
Time to Prioritize Identity Over Legacy
Chicago’s identity has been hazy ever since the post-Jimmy Butler rebuild sputtered. In trying to keep one foot in both the present and the future, the Bulls have found themselves stuck in purgatory. Trading Vucevic won’t solve everything overnight. However, it would mark a step toward a team built on positional flexibility and players whose prime is still ahead of them.
More importantly, it would force the front office to fully embrace a new identity rather than recycle an old one. Letting go of Vooch means finally committing to a future that reflects the league's evolution. Ideally, this move gives Bulls fans something more than a play-in berth to root for.
Final Thoughts
Nikola Vucevic has been a consummate professional in Chicago. But sentiment should never get in the way of strategy. After another season of treading water, the Bulls need to act with urgency and clarity. Moving Vucevic is not about disrespect—it’s about vision. And if the Bulls want to matter again in the Eastern Conference, they need to start by letting go of the players that are holding them back, even if those players once seemed like the solution.
